


Friends In Low Places

by joufancyhuh



Series: Queen & Lionheart [3]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Alcohol, F/M, Mentions of kidnapping, Month of Fanfiction, Reyes under a false name, Strong Language, allusions to sex, part of a series, sister to the pathfinder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-05
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-12-11 08:26:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11710611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joufancyhuh/pseuds/joufancyhuh
Summary: The stranger who rescued the Pathfinder's sister from her captors is back, with an open bar tab and possibly a way out of this hell hole.





	Friends In Low Places

**Author's Note:**

> Month of Fanfiction  
> Day 5: Friends

A rush of cold air greeted Max as she threw back the doors to the bar, sweet relief from the boiling air outside. She tried her best to saunter in, give the appearance of being in control and not the complete mess she looked. Blood still smeared her face and knuckles, and sweat strung her hair together in in small clumps. She felt like she rolled in sand, orange bits adhering to her skin and clothes. She wiped at the sweat pouring from her brow and slid onto a bar stool, exhaustion from walking there setting in.

The bartender glared from behind the counter, yet another unfriendly face on this burning planet. Not for the first time since she arrived, she wondered if she made a mistake by not staying on the Nexus.

But Vivian _lied_ to her. They never lied to each other before. And now she performed her dance of Pathfinder, after they agreed to get out from under their father’s shadow. Viv returned to mimicking the good daughter, which meant Max fell back to her independent, bad self.

Max wet her lips and glanced at the bartender. “Water. Ice if you have it.”

The bartender continued to glare, crossing his arms over his chest. “You got credits?”

Max matched his glare with fury of her own. “Excuse me?”

“No credits, no water. No credits, get the fuck out.”

She started to protest. “I was here a couple of-”

A familiar male voice cut her off from the other end of the bar. “Put her on my tab.”

The bartender grumbled, but started fixing the drink. She looked to where the voice came from, the smirking asshole who winked when he spotted her eyeing him up. He patted the stool next to him and not seeing any other option, she made her way over.

“Been awhile,” he chuckled.

“Thanks for leaving me in the desert, fucker.” The bartender set the drink down in front of her and she threw it back, blessed cool bliss sliding down the back of her throat. Water never tasted as sweet as what she tasted in that glass. She slammed it down on the counter. “Another. And any whiskey if you got it.”

“Make that two.” The man finished his drink and set it down in a much calmer manner.

His burnt sienna eyes explored her body in their silence. She couldn’t tell if attraction or assessment of her wild state drew them to her. When their drinks appeared, she took her time with the water, savoring each swig. Her companion sipped at his whiskey, eyes still glued to her.

“I’m surprised you came back here,” his voice broke through the uneasiness between them. “Didn’t your _friends_ take you from here?”

“Not my friends.” She finished her water and ordered another. Deep down, she knew she shouldn’t take advantage of his kindness like this, but the louder part of her mind said he left her in the heat, that he deserved this, and he offered to buy, didn’t he? “But yes.”

“So why come back?”

She shifted her body away. She didn’t owe him an answer, that she didn’t know where else to go, that her shuttle might still be in the area. “None of your business.”

He chuckled. “I have my guesses.”

She glowered into the bottom of her whiskey glass. “Keep them to yourself.”

A moment passed between them, both sipping their drinks in the unease that came back. “Lucas,” he spoke up, the break in tension almost making her jump.

“What?”

“My name is Lucas. We should exchange names if we’re going to keep running into each other like this.”

She scowled. “Look, I’m grateful and all that you saved me, but that doesn’t make us friends.”

“You need a friend in a place like this.” Her new pal assessed her over his whiskey as he swirled it around in his glass, more predator than possible ally in the heat of his gaze.

Max tossed the rest of her drink down the back of her throat, slamming the now empty glass on the counter and wiping her mouth with the back of her sand-crusted hand before replying, “What I need is another drink.”

Lucas, if that even was his real name, wouldn’t be deterred. He ordered her another round before turning back to her. “Do you even have a place to stay tonight? You look like you slept in a sand dune.”

It felt like she slept in a sand dune, to be fair. She smirked, taking a sip out of her new glass. “Are you offering?”

He grinned. “I hate seeing a beautiful, capable woman like yourself playing the damsel in distress.”

“Who’s playing? This is very real distress.” She knocked her knee into his, letting it linger before pulling it back. He didn’t flinch, cluing her into what game he played. That worked for her, because sex was something she knew how to do, and well. A romp or two could help clear her mind, figure out her next plan. “If you throw in a shower, I’ll be sure to pay you back.”

His eyebrow quirked up. “Oh? I thought your kidnappers didn’t leave you with any credits.” But the smile on his face said he knew what she meant.

She bit her lip, releasing it slowly and enjoying the subtle shift he made in his seat as he watched her. “I was thinking of something involving a bit of stress relief.”

“Only a bit?”

She placed her hand along the inside of his thigh. “Well, maybe what I had in mind was a bit more extensive.”

Lucas finished his drink around the same time she finished hers. She thumbed toward the exit. “Then let’s get out of here. My place isn’t far.” He transferred credits from his omni-tool over to the bartender, flashing him a grin as his arm slid around her waist.

“Max,” she said as they neared the entrance. “Remember it, cause you’re going to be screaming it later.”

“I hope in a good way,” he purred before leaning in to kiss her cheek.

 _To new friends_ , she thought as they stepped out under the sun of Elaadan.

**Author's Note:**

> If you have questions, ask them. There's a lot left to be desired, such as why is Reyes using a fake name? Why did Max get kidnapped? Why are they on Elaadan? All good question that will be answered later in the series.


End file.
